Fastener



Dec. 6, 192 7.

G. E. PRENTICE FASTENER Filed March 5. 1926 6, 07 eli'l i'eiiiz'ce, 63%

Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Application fled larch 3, 1928. Serial I0. 91,881.

This invention pertains to separable fasteners of that class in which opposed series of spaced fastener elements project from opposite edges of a gap or opening to be closed, the fastener elements of one series being adapted to be engaged with or disengaged from those of the other series only when they are disposed at an angle to the line of strain, the patent to Judson 504,038 August 29, 1893, disclosing an early example of this general type of fastener. The

- present invention relates more particularly to an improved slider for moving the fastener elements of the opposed series into and out of engagement.

Fasteners of the above class are used in general for closing gaps or apertures in flexible material, for example, for closing shoe and overshoe flaps, bags, pouches, placket and pocket openings, tent flaps, etc., and as usually furnished to the trade the opposed series of fastener elements are mounted upon the edges of a pair of tapes or stringers which in turn are attached by sewing or otherwise to the edges of the gap to be closed. In one desirable type of fastener, such for example as that shown in the British patent to Kuhn-Moos No. 14,358 dated June 19, 1912, the fastener elements at opposite edges of the gap are of identically like construction, and thus the slider em ployed may be of laterally symmetrical shape. In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated by way of example as embodied in a slider of this symmetrical form, but the invention is not in any way limited to this type of slider, but is equally capable of embodiment in sliders of unsymmetrical or other type.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation showing a fastener of the general type above referred to provided with a slider embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the slider, the fastener elements being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the slider of Fig. 2;

Igig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the slider; an

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a blank for use in making the pull device of the improved slider.

In Fig. 1 the numerals land 2 designate a pair of-tapes or stringers of the usual kind, to whose opposed edges the series of fastener elements 3 are secured. As here shown, the fastener elements of the two series are of identical construction, each comprising a socket and a locking pin, the fastener elements of the opposed series being staggered so that they may be brought into mtermeshing engagement, the locking pin of an element of one series engaging the socket of the next adjacent element of the opposed series.

"he improved slider has a body portion comprising front and rear wings 4 and 5, respectively, united at one end, here shown as the upper end, by means of an integral connecting member 6, the lower part 6 of which is of generally wedge shape with its apex pointing toward the lower end of the slider. The parts 6 and 6' may or may not be integral, as desired. The lateral edges of the wings 4 and 5 are furnished with inwardly directed flanges which, together with the wedge member 6, define downwardly converging channels for receiving and guiding the fastener elements 3 of the opposed series.

ln order to stiffen the wings of the slider and to prevent their free ends for spreading, I prefer to provide a substantially U-shaped stiffening yoke comprising substantially parallel arms 9 and 10 engaging the outer surfaces of the wings 4 and 5 and a connecting member 11 uniting the arms 9 and 10 at their upper ends and which engages the upper part 6 of the wedge member 6.

While it is within the province of the present invention to make the wings 4 and 5 and the member 6 as independent elements suitably united, for example, by means of a rivet or solder and also to make the yoke member (comprising the arms 9 and 10 and the connecting element 11) as a part separate from the wings, I prefer, as here shown, to form the entire slider body as an integral casting or stamping. In this case, as shown, the upper parts of the wings 4 and 5 merge imperceptibly into the connecting member 6 while the arms 9 and 10 are integrally joined to the wings 4 and 5 respectively and the connecting member 11 forms in effect a rib projecting from the upper edge of the part 6. On the other hand, if the yoke member is formed independent of the other parts of the slider, it may be secured thereto in any desired manner as, for example, by soldering, welding, or the like.

In any event the yoke member is preferably relatively narrow in a lateral direction, thus forming a comparatively thin rib embracing the upper end of the slider proper and extending down nearly to the lower or free ends of the wings 4 and 5, effectively stiffening the wings and preventing them from spreading under the strain imposed in use.

Fasteners of the above type have commonly been made to operate in one of two ways, dependent to a large extent upon the acuteness of the angle between the channels of the slider. If this angle is greater than a certain limiting value, depending upon various factors, among them the shape and material of the fastener elements, it 1s possible when the fastener elements are engaged with each other to disengage them and open the gap merely b pulling the free ends of the tapes away rom each other. During this 0 eration the slider retreats along the row 0 fasteners, sliding quite freely, so that it is not necessary for the operator to manipulatc the slider itself in opening the gap. Since the gap is thus readily opened without manipulating the slider, it is common in this so called tearapart type of fastener to employ some additional locking or retaining means to prevent accidental separation of the fastener elements.

In the other type the angle of the channels in the slider is made so acute that it is difficult, if not impossible to separate the opposed series of elements by direct all in opposite directions, and in this type t 1e gap must be opened by manually moving the slider in the proper direction to separate the opposed series of elements. In either type the opposed series are brought into operation by manual operation of the slider.

iVhether or not the slider is used for opening as well as for closing the gap, it is manifest that the ideal way of applying force to the slider for movin it would be to rasp it at front and back between the thum and finger so that the force applied would be substantially in the plane of engagement of the fastener elements, thus avoiding any unsymmetrical or eccentric force tending to twist the slider or the fastener elements. Unfortunately, when sliders of this type are applied to most articles, it is impossible for the operator to grasp the slider at both front and back, and it is thus necessary to provide a handle, pull device, or equivalent means for use in manipulating the slider. Under these circumstances the arrangement most nearly approaching the ideal would probably be to apply one pull near the upper end of the slider for moving the slider upwardly and to provide a second pull near the lower end of the slider for moving it in the opposite direction. Since it is undesirable to increase the front to rear thickness of the slider any more than is necessary, it is usual to pivot the pull device so that when not in use it may fold a ainst the front face of the slider, but if suc l a pivoted device be provided at the bottom of the slider, it will, when not in use, hang down below the lower end of the slider, thus in effect increasing the length of the slider, which is quite undesirable.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a pull device of such character that it permits the user to apply the actuating force in a very effective manner both in moving the slider up and in moving it down, while at the same time I avoid unduly lengthening the slider or unduly increasing its front to rear thickness.

In obtaining this desired result I provide a pull device 12 which is preferably made from a blank such as shown in Fig. 5. This blank comprises the shank portion 12 and a handle portion 13, the latter preferabl being substantially circular. The shank portion 12- is provided with the laterally projecting ear portions 14 and 15 havin openings 17 and 18 therein respectively, an the shank also has a rojecting tongue portion or lug 16. This blank may be stamped from sheet material and then bent by means of a suitable press or in any other desired manner so, that the ear portions 1-1 and 15 are lparallel and at right angles to the plane of t 1e shank portion 12 and with the openings 17 and 18 in alignment. At the same time, if desired, the handle portion 13 may be shaped to provide a convex forward face and a concave rear face. This handle may be furnished with any desired ornamentation, or if the article is patented, may carr the patent number and date. \Vhile this handle 13 is here shown as an iinperforate disk it may, for saving weight and material, be unched out to form an annulus or ring.

he ears 14.- and 15 of the pull device are straddled over the front upper corner of the yoke member, and a rivet or pivot pin 19 is Cpassed through the openings 17 and 18 an through a suitable opening in the rib to form an axis about which the'pull device may swing. While as here shown the pivot pin 19 isan independent part which is passed throu h the openings 17 and 18 and through the rib and then headed over at its opposite ends, I contemplate that equivalent results may be obtained by forming pivot lugs integrally upon the opposite faces of the yoke member and springing the ears of the pull device over such pivot lu s which may then be headed over if desirec. The pivot pin 19 is preferably located ad- ]acent to the connecting member 6 and close to or behind the plane of the front face of the slider and when the handle 13 of the pull device is swung up to the dotted line position of Fig. 2, the tongue or stop lug 16 engages the upper surface of the connecting rib member 11, preferably at a point whic is directly above the space between the front and rear wings and in the plane of engagement of the fastener elements, thus preventstantially in the manner as though it werea rigid forwardly projecting part connected to the extreme upper end of the slider and when the handle 13 is grasped between the thumb and finger, the lifting force for closing the fastener may be applied in the most advantageous way and with a minimum tendency to tip the slider or to twist it or the fastener elements.

When the fastener is to be opened, the handle is also swung to the dotted line position of Fig. 2, and now, when downward force is applied, the pressure acting through the lug 16 acts very close to the plane of engagement of the fastener elements so that the operator is able to move the slider down with substantially the same ease as though the slider were grasped between the thumb and finger.

In referring to the slider, reference has been made to its front and back, but these terms are used in a relative sense, the term front being emplo ed to indicate that face of the slider'to w ich the pull device is attached. Obviously a pull device could be mounted in the same way at both sides of the slider if this were for any reason desirable, and I contemplate that when the fastener is to be employed for closing tent-flaps and the like, where the slider must be manipulated from both sides, it may be desirable to provide the slider with pull devices on opposite faces.

Moreover, although the pull device has here been shown at attached to the strengthening rib or yoke, it is obvious that in its broader aspects the invention is notlimited in this respect since, were the rib omitted, the pull device might readily be attached to a special lug or boss provided for the purpose.

The pull device, although attached to the upper end of the slider inthe' position most advantageous for use in closing the fastener, is soarranged as above described that force is advantageously applied for opening the fastener as well, and when the pull device is in inoperative position, it does not materially lengthen the slider nor greatly increase its front to rear width.

I claim:

1. A slider for separable fasteners of the class described, said slider having a pull device pivoted thereto to swing freely about an axis which is always transverse to the path of movement of the slider, said axis eing disposed at a fixed and invariable distance from one end of the pull device, and a stop lug on the pull device cooperating with an abutment on the slider for limiting the swing ofthe pull device about said axis to approximately 90.

2. A slider for separable fasteners of the class described, said slider having substantially parallel wings, means uniting said wings at one end, a stiffening rib extending longitudinally of the outer surface of at least one of said wings, and a swinging pull device comprising a handle normally extending longitudinally of the pull device and a stop lug engageable with a part of the rib when the pull device is swung whereby to limit swing of the pull device beyond a position in which the handle member is substantially perpendicular to the length of the slider.

3. A slider for separable fasteners of the class described said slider having substantially parallel wings united at one end, a. narrow rib-like stiffening member extending from the closed end of the slider along the outer surface of one wing toward the other extremity of said wing, and a pull device, said pull device comprising parallel ears disposed respectively at opposite sides of said stiffening member, and pivot means connecting said ears to the stiffening member.

4. A. slider for separable fasteners of the class described, said slider having substantially parallel wings, means uniting said wings at one end, a U-shaped stiffening yoke embracing that end of the slider at which the wings are connected, the arms of said yoke extending along the outer surfaces of the respective wings toward the free ends of the latter, and a pull device pivot-ally secured to one arm of the yoke adjacent to the closed end of the latter, said pull device comprising a handle portion and a stop member, the stop member being adapted to engage the closed end of the yoke when the pull device is swung about its pivot to limit such swing.

5. A slider for separable fasteners of the class described, said slider having front and rear wings, a narrow rib projecting from the forward face of the front wing, a pull device having substantially parallel ears disposed respectively at opposite sides of said rib, a pivot member passing through said ears and rib, and a stop lug projecting from the pull device and engageable with the edge of'said rib to limit swing of the pull device in one direction.

6. A slider forseparable fasteners of the class described, said slider having substantially parallal wings united adjacent to one end, a narrow rib-like stiffening yoke of U- shape embracing that end of the slider at which the wings are connected, said yoke having substantially parallel arms engaging 7 one end, an

the outer faces of the respective wings and a connecting portion uniting said arms, and a pull device pivotally united to the yoke at a oint adjacent to the junction of one of said arms with the connecting portion of the yoke, said pull device comprising a handle and a stop member, the stop member normal 1y being spaced from the edge of said connecting portion but engaging the latter when the handle is swung to a position substantially perpendicular to the forward face of the front wing.

7. A slider for se arable fasteners of the class described, sai slider having a body comprising spaced front and rear wings and a connecting member uniting the wings at ed to the slider body to swing about an axis which is transverse to the path of movement of the slider, said pull device having a stop element arranged to engage the slider body at a point directly above the space between the wings thereby terminating upward swing of the pull device about its pivotal axis when it has been moved from normal position to a a pull device pivotally connect position substantiall at right angles to the path of movement 0 the slider.

8. A slider for se arable fasteners of the class described, sai slider having a body comprising spaced front and rear wings and a connecting member uniting the wings at one end, and a pull device pivotally connected to the slider body at a point adjacent to the top of the latter, said pull device havin a stop element en ageable with a top sur ace of the slider be y whereby to limit upward swing of the pull device.

9. A slider for se arable fasteners of the class described, said slider having a body comprising spaced front and rear wings and a connecting member uniting the wings at one end, and a pull device ivotally connected to the slider body at a point substantially in the plane of the front wing of the slider, said pull device having a stop element engageable with a portion of the slider element directly above the space between said wings.

Signed by me at New Britain, Connecticut, this twenty-seventh day of February, 1926.

GEORGE E. PRENTICE. 

